Why do new build houses sometimes have these??
Discussion
There's loads of new build houses around at the moment which have windows bricked up like this
I understand that older houses sometimes have had this done as in the war they had a window tax or something so the bombers couldn't see the lights, but why on earth go to this much effort on a new build (just looks stupid IMO)
I understand that older houses sometimes have had this done as in the war they had a window tax or something so the bombers couldn't see the lights, but why on earth go to this much effort on a new build (just looks stupid IMO)
Edited by audi321 on Friday 19th August 22:48
audi321 said:
I understand that older houses sometimes have had this done as in the war they had a window tax or something so the bombers couldn't see the lights, but why on earth go to this much effort on a new build (just looks stupid IMO)
You're right about the window tax, but the time period is a little out. It was introduced in the 18th century under William III and lasted until the middle of the 19th century. During WWII they used blackout blinds.No idea why they'd do this for a new build. It's not even very convincing.
jagnet said:
You're right about the window tax, but the time period is a little out. It was introduced in the 18th century under William III and lasted until the middle of the 19th century. During WWII they used blackout blinds.
No idea why they'd do this for a new build. It's not even very convincing.
As jagnet's response, the historical precedent was the bricking-up of windows to avoid window tax, hence they're called 'tax windows' in most parts of the country (although in some areas they're just known as 'blind windows').No idea why they'd do this for a new build. It's not even very convincing.
Why do we use them on new build?
...Usually to 'balance' the aesthetics of the fenestration or to add interest to an elevation that would otherwise be unbalanced and/or too bland. You'll sometimes (though not, I think, in the example shown by the OP) find them where a window was originally designed to be on a developer's 'standard' house type, but where the planner has insisted on additional windows around the corner to provide overlooking/surveillance of car parking or public areas.
Simply adding extra 'proper' windows is often not possible because:
- Windows are the main source of heat loss on the envelope of a house, so too much glazed area can make you fail the very stringent heat loss calculation standards we have to adhere to these days, or;
- It doesn't leave you enough wall space for a practicable furniture arrangement within the room.
To be fair to the developer, the problem is that to look convincing/worthwhile, you need to recess the brickwork on the 'tax' window by at least 75mm, to give enough relief and shadow line for it to be noticeable from a distance and hence 'read' on the elevation... otherwise it just blends into the background and fails to do its job.
Even though cavity widths have increased over the years, they're still only typically 100mm wide, so recessing a brick panel that far would leave you with a very narrow cavity of 25mm, which is a problem in terms of cold bridging and damp penetration. There are ways to detail the wall construction to avoid this, but it's much more complicated and costly than simply narrowing the cavity down a bit behind the recessed brickwork, hence most developers are lazy and only recess them by 25mm or so, which just doesn't give the necessary relief.
Edited by Sam_68 on Saturday 20th August 08:25
Pints said:
Very different planning regulations over there where this sort of thing just wouldn't be an issue.
Sorry, your reply crossed with an edit I made to my post above, adding an explanation of why we don't just use extra 'real' windows....of course heat loss isn't such a critical issue in South Africa, although, as you say they have a very different approach to regulation anyway. One of my colleagues is married to a South African Architect, and she (the Architect) is always b
hing about how prescriptive and obstructive our Planning system is!Sam_68 said:
Sorry, your reply crossed with an edit I made to my post above, adding an explanation of why we don't just use extra 'real' windows.
...of course heat loss isn't such a critical issue in South Africa, although, as you say they have a very different approach to regulatiopn anyway. One of my colleagues is married to a South African Architect, and she (the Architect) is always bhing about how prescriptive and obstructive our Planning system is!
...of course heat loss isn't such a critical issue in South Africa, although, as you say they have a very different approach to regulatiopn anyway. One of my colleagues is married to a South African Architect, and she (the Architect) is always b
hing about how prescriptive and obstructive our Planning system is!
That sounds very much like my FiL.
jagnet said:
audi321 said:
I understand that older houses sometimes have had this done as in the war they had a window tax or something so the bombers couldn't see the lights, but why on earth go to this much effort on a new build (just looks stupid IMO)
You're right about the window tax, but the time period is a little out. It was introduced in the 18th century under William III and lasted until the middle of the 19th century. During WWII they used blackout blinds.audi321 said:
There's loads of new build houses around at the moment which have windows bricked up like this
I understand that older houses sometimes have had this done as in the war they had a window tax or something so the bombers couldn't see the lights, but why on earth go to this much effort on a new build (just looks stupid IMO)
So it doesn't look like a big expanse of imposing brick wall with nothing in it.I understand that older houses sometimes have had this done as in the war they had a window tax or something so the bombers couldn't see the lights, but why on earth go to this much effort on a new build (just looks stupid IMO)
Edited by audi321 on Friday 19th August 22:48
At a friend's new 'urban village' estate there is even one of these houses with both downstairs windows bricked up like this. It looks stupid. Apparently it is a flat inside or something.
I hate to say it, but whilst 'window tax' is an interesting historical story to explain architecture and a vernacular style, today, the 'style' of houses (including this pricking up of windows) is a simple response to blinkered target driven planning departments and rules. In a few decades time, everyone will look back and laugh about how bespoke architecturally designed houses were overlooked in preference to favouring packing in houses on a postage stamp in a mock-historical style...
JustinP1 said:
audi321 said:
There's loads of new build houses around at the moment which have windows bricked up like this
I understand that older houses sometimes have had this done as in the war they had a window tax or something so the bombers couldn't see the lights, but why on earth go to this much effort on a new build (just looks stupid IMO)
So it doesn't look like a big expanse of imposing brick wall with nothing in it.I understand that older houses sometimes have had this done as in the war they had a window tax or something so the bombers couldn't see the lights, but why on earth go to this much effort on a new build (just looks stupid IMO)
Edited by audi321 on Friday 19th August 22:48
At a friend's new 'urban village' estate there is even one of these houses with both downstairs windows bricked up like this. It looks stupid. Apparently it is a flat inside or something.
I hate to say it, but whilst 'window tax' is an interesting historical story to explain architecture and a vernacular style, today, the 'style' of houses (including this pricking up of windows) is a simple response to blinkered target driven planning departments and rules. In a few decades time, everyone will look back and laugh about how bespoke architecturally designed houses were overlooked in preference to favouring packing in houses on a postage stamp in a mock-historical style...
Seriously. This was his idea, as was the "village feel" of new developments, which most developers have taken to mean cramming as many different house types together as possible, saving land area by not having delineated pavements and calling it "traffic calming". And, while they're at it, getting away with tiny gardens by turfing over the patch of land that was too wet or too contaminated to build on and calling it a village green. And then writing an annual fee for the management company into everyone's deeds.
The latest thing in these parts is new build detached houses with no vehicular access anywhere near. They have garages, but some way away. They have no front gardens but face onto common space with a path over that shared land that no one, apart from the postman and the poor delivery drivers will ever use.
I'm looking at quite a few new build developments right now and becoming more and more disillusioned. Soulless places.
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